On the Cover: The Sweet Spot
Lamangata Luxury Surf Resort in Costa Rica offers the perfect blend of adventure and luxury.
Photo of a surfer on the beach in Costa Rica by Mauro Grigollo
2026 Sophisticated Giving Charity Register
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Highlights from the May/June 2026 issue:
Stable to Stunning
There are homes to be lived in and homes that live within us. This is a story about the latter.
Text: Bridget Cottrell
Photography: Andy Llanes Bultó
Image: One of two seating areas in the dining room. A print of Le Peintre by Pablo Picasso surmounts a French Louis XVI commode. The vintage advertising poster for Longines watches was created by the renowned artist Leonetto Cappiello roughly a decade after the carriage house was built.
You’ve Been Given a Health Diagnosis. Now What?
A Q&A with Dr. Carl Paige, Co-Founder, Medical Transformation Center
Sophisticated Wedding: Dr. John & Kristin Snell
Photos by All For One Creations
Cover Story: The Sweet Spot
Lamangata Luxury Surf Resort in Costa Rica offers the perfect blend of adventure and luxury.
Love hits differently later in life. Passion, though still palpable, is filtered through the earned wisdom of age. This lends a reassuring steadiness, which often takes young love’s roiling boil down to a gentle simmer. I was bitten by the love bug twice in my 50s. With apologies to my husband, about whom I could wax poetic for pages, this story is about the second nip—an amplification of amorousness brought about by discovering a latent love of surfing.
Kentucky Proud
On view through June 28th, Lexington’s Headley Whitney Museum of Art is staging a retrospective exhibition celebrating and honoring the 50-year careers of two acclaimed Kentucky artists, Rodney Hatfield and Lynn Sweet, who are also long-time friends. “Rodney and Lynn are two of Kentucky's iconic artists that have dedicated their lives to creating art and we are thrilled to honor their remarkable works” said Christina Bell, Executive Director and Curator at the Museum.
Photo of Lynn Sweet and Rodney Hatfield by Daniel Roberts
A New Look
At An Old House
Photo of Jessica Dawkins by Ashley Stinson
The Twine That Binds.
From prep to presentation, Elderberry Provisions is a family affair.
Story by Bridget Cottrell / Photo by Tony Bailey
Last Call: Rhona Kamar
Rhona Kamar, founder of Feed Louisville, didn’t set out to start a non-profit; rather, giving credit to the “divine timing” of an “innocent conversation” during the first two weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dedicated to providing hearty, flavorful, and “nutrient-dense” meals to those in need, Feed Louisville relies on surplus food donations from more than 200 local hospitality industry partners. The organization’s culinary staff is made up of former restaurant chefs – many of whom started as volunteers during restaurant shut-downs in 2020. “No one understands the urgency of hunger like people who love to feed people!” said Kamar.
Society Calendar, Presented by Kentucky Select Properties
Happenings of note in May & June
Celebrations are better when they’re shared! Think beyond a Facebook or Instagram post by commemorating special events in our Sophisticated Celebrations section. Send your high-resolution images with a brief description to bridget@slmag.net.
Is there an upcoming event you’d like us to cover? If so, drop us a message below with the details!
Sophisticated Society
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Sophisticated Society 〰️
Photos by Chad Henle
Photos by Chad Henle
Photos by Matt Simpson Media
Photos by Ashley Stinson
Speed Museum Ball
Photos by Chad Henle
Hats on for Healing
Photos by Chad Henle
The Blueprint
Photos by Chad Henle
LVA Honors Gala
Photos by Chad Henle
KY Derby Museum Hat Show
Photos by Tony Bailey
The Fillies Ball
Photos by Chad Henle
KMAC Couture
Photos by Chad Henle
An Evening at Chestnut Hall
Photos by Chad Henle
Derby Divas
Photos by Ashley Stinson
Vie Lavelle Smile Design Networking Event
Photos by Ashley Stinson
Healthspan Opening
Photos by Ashley Stinson
This month’s dispatch was begun during a three-hour layover in the Centurian Lounge at ATL, the first leg of a five-day solo trip encompassing 10 flights, 8 boat transfers, and a sizeable time difference. I found myself wistful for the days when my daughter was young, and marathon Uno games, complete with my ESPN-style play-by-play commentary, would make the time fly by. The not-so-glamorous side of travel writing is that you are almost always cramming what would likely be a leisurely two-week trip for most into half that time (and sometimes even less!). Given the state of the world these days, I am fully aware that my little lamentation is most definitely a first-world problem that, not unlike most of our seemingly insufferable in-the-moment travel woes, will fade into a footnote of the overall experience.
Right: It was a father-daughter affair for our photoshoot at Elderberry Provisions.
Text: Bridget Cottrell - bridget@slmag.net.
From the Editor-In-Chief
Get to Know Us
Editor-In-Chief
Bridget Cottrell
A co-founder of the company, Bridget is Editor-In-Chief of both the Lexington and Louisville editions in addition to serving as the editorial director for shared content across all Sophisticated Living issues. Originally intending to become an archaeologist, she transfers her global curiosity into content that takes multiple perspectives into account.
bridget@slmag.net
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